St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-28
TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

THE fact, if such it is, is eXhumed by
an interested party that the rump of a
constitutional convention, and possibly
the minority OF a legislature, that met
at Huron last year, adjourned to about
the 10th of June of this year. 1t is given
out that at this occasion there will be a
gathering of all the stockholders, direct
orS, friends and mourners of that de-
funct state machine. Invitations to this
convention have been sent out to di
vision Democrats as well as Republi-
cans, although no Democrat has been
allowed a share in the connection, The
objects as set forth are to organize and
energise the division forces in order to
fill the November ballot boxes with that
sort of votes. 1t is remembered also that
the official terms of Gov. MELLETTE,
and his coadjutors, as well as the legis-
lature, expire this year, and the conSti-
tutional convention alone can push
ahead their alleged existence. This
convention, by the way, has remark
able lease of life according to the theory
of its friends. 1t is expected to continue
to act as if it had a real existence until
state is admitted or its members all
die. 1t is an anomalous but very con-
venient body. 1t cannot be put to death
or even commit suicide, and it is not
even necessary that quorum of its
members should share its gregarious
privileges. The theory of the Sanguine
is that the territory will, in November,
vote in favor of division, and this will
be accepted by congress as the
will of the people, and the door
will soon be opened to state from the
South. Gov. MEILETTE and his staff
and retinue will then rise up and say:
Here we are, Uncle SAMUEL" 1t looks
to them as very natural thing that con-
greSs should accept them as ready
made state rather than attempt to do the
work over again. They want it dis
tinctly understood that Democrats will
be permitted to meet with and help
them-and even Delegate CLIFFORD will
be muZZled and not allowed to abuse the
Democratic party, at least in Dakota
provided its members will help pull the
chestnuts out for the Republican party.
1t is also stated that it is designed to
ask the people South TO vote on the
proposition to put the state in motion
next January whether admitted OF not
but this will not cut much of figure.
FEW people in the states realize the
vast area of Dakota, or its possibilities
in the way of population and production.
Ohio used to be regarded as one of the
large states in acreage, and its popula-
ton is about seven times as great as
Dakota-or nearly 100000. But Ohio
has only $4,000 square miles to Dakota S
1885. That is, in area, Dakota would
make about four states as large as the
Bfrkeye3 state. If mere geographical
extent then, is the main consideration,
there should be four states made out of
thee big territory. Making allowance
for a larger per cent. of untillable
lands, for coal, gas and some manu-
features, there is still room for the
estimate that Dakota will in few years
be half as densely populated as Ohio
now is-that is, it will furnish the cen
Gus takers figures in the neighborhood
of 100000. Perhaps not in the count
of 1,9O0-only thirteen years distant
but 1T would not be romantic to antici-
pate population of 100000 at that
date, and bread production nearly
sufficient to feed the present population
of the nation. Still Dakota is not in
acreage so enormously in excess of other
territories as many have supposed
Montana is nearly as large as Dakota
New Mexico three-fourths as large
Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming about
half as large. But they all have &
much larger per cent. of waste land
than Dakota.